Combined rule and blotter.



No. 717,618. PATENTEDJAN. 6, 1903.

W. H. RAMSEY.

COMBINED RULE AND BLOTTER. APPLIDATIIGH FILED NOV. 4, 1902;

N0 MODEL.

Hdiigeszs I 27 for: 4Q.

UNTTE STATES WADE HAMPTON RAMSEY, OF VVEDGEFIELD, SOUTH CAROLINA.

COMBlNED RULE AND BLOTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,618, dated January 6, 1903.

Application filed November 4, 1902. berial No. 130,086- (No model.)

To a. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WADE HAMPTON RAM- SEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wedgefield, in the county of Sumter and State of South Carolina, have invented a new and useful Combined Rule and Blotter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices employed by bookkeepers, accountants, and others, and has for its object the production of an implement combining in one a rule or straight-edge having the usual grad nations thereon, a knifeedge for the purpose of tearing paper, and a means for supporting a sheet of blotting-paper or other absorbent material, which may be readily detached when the blotting-paper is to be renewed; and the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter described, and specified in the claims following.

In the drawings illustrative of the invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the de-.

vice complete. Fig. 2 is a transverse section enlarged and reversed in position.

The improved device consists in a base or stock 10, having one side 11 flat and with the other side substantially parallel thereto, and with one edge 12 relatively sharpened to form a means for tearing paper and with the other edge inclined, as shown at 13, and provided with graduations 14, as shown in Fig. 1.

The edge of the member 10 adjacent to the graduations 1a will be formed at right angles to the fiat bottom 11, as shown, to form a straight-edge, the right-angled portion being comparatively narrow, so that the graduations will come correspondingly near the surface upon which the implement rests to enable the graduations to be used with greater precision.

Formed longitudinally in the surface of the base member 10, opposite the flattened side 11, are spaced channels 15 16, the channels being inclined in opposite directions or outwardly toward the edges, as shown. The general surface of the side of the device containing the channels will be in transverse alinement and parallel to the side 11, so that when a strip of blotting-paper (indicated at 17) is inserted by itsopposite edges into the channels 15 16 the paper will not only be held by the channels, but the portion of the paper opposite the surface of the stock or base between the channels will extend above the general surface, and thus be certain to come in contact with the ink or other material which it is designed to absorb.

The channels 15 16 will be deep enough to afford sufficient support to the blotting-paper and retain it in place by friction only, so that it'will not be accidentally disconnected when in use, while at the same time the blottingpaper may be easily detached when it is to be renewed.

The channels may be large enough to support two or more thicknesses of the blottingpaper, if desired.

This makes a very complete, efficient, and convenient implement for the use of bookkeepers, accountants, and others who may require a rule, a straight-edge, a means for tearing paper-such as coupons, stub-receipts, checks, and similar forms or blanks-while at the same time holdingasection of blottingpaper in a convenient position for use.

It will be noted that the presence of the blotting-paper does not interfere with the use of the other features of the implement, and when the implement is employed as a blotter the presence of the other features does not interfere with its use as a blotter.

The blotter-sheets may readily be reversed, ifpreferred, to bring the unused side outward.

The base member 10 may be formed of any desired materialsuch as wood, metal, or combinations of wood or metal, hard rubber,

or any other material or compositionbut will preferably be of boxwood or any other suitable material, and I.do not therefore Wish to be limited to any specific material for the base member; neither do I wish to be limited to its size,either in length or width,as the implement may be manufactured of any required size to correspond to the uses for which it is to be employed.

The flat surface 11 may be covered with felt or other soft material to prevent abrasion thereby, if preferred.

Having thus described the inventiomwhat is claimed is l 1. A combined rule and blotter-holder consisting of a base member flat upon one side and with one edge relatively sharp and the other edge inclined and provided with graduside of said base member, in combination with a blotting-pad supported by its edges detachably in said channels, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WADE HAMPTON RAMSEY.

Witnesses:

ROBT. L. GOFF, I. H. BURGESS. 

